Questions & Answers about Ich mache die Tasche zu.
Why is the word zu at the very end of the sentence?
This is because zumachen (to shut or close) is a separable prefix verb. In a standard main clause like this one, the core verb (mache) takes the second position, and the prefix (zu) gets chopped off and pushed to the very end of the sentence.
I thought machen meant "to make" or "to do". Why does it mean "shutting" here?
You are right about machen on its own! However, adding a separable prefix changes the meaning of the verb entirely. Together, mache ... zu comes from the verb zumachen, which means "to shut" or "to close".
Is die Tasche the subject or the object here?
It is the direct object (the thing being shut), so it is in the accusative case. Because Tasche is a feminine noun, its article remains die, which looks exactly the same as it does in the nominative (subject) case. The subject doing the action here is Ich.
Does this sentence mean "I shut the bag" or "I am shutting the bag"?
It can mean both! German does not have a separate "-ing" tense like English does. The German present tense covers both "I shut" and "I am shutting". You just rely on the context to pick the most natural English translation.
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